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Topic: controlled bubble dishes/ashtrays (Read 421 times)

I was just wondering how do you tell if controlled bubble dishes/ashtrays are or are not Whitefriars? There seems to be hundreds of them around and they can't all be the real deal. How do you specifically tell the difference?

It's not so much copies (controlled bubbles is/was a technique used by numerous companies) as the fact that so many attributions are based on the myth that if it has a polished pontil mark or controlled bubbles or both it must be Whitefriars. Take all ebay attributions with a large pinch of salt and try and back them up from reliable sources.

There are plenty of WF controlled bubble ash trays out there (my Mum has one) but you have to look at genuine WF stuff, get to know the colour ranges, shapes and base finishes. Self-education and experience are the answers I think.

Kingfisher and Meadow Green are mentioned in the catalogues but I have never seen these dishes made in these colours.

Also, the colours above were used only for certain years. So for example you will only find a 10" version in the earlier colours and not the later colours, but to go into the specific years and colours is rather long winded at this stage.

SIZES;

Up to mid 1960s were made in sizes as follows. 10” / 8 “ / 6” / 5” / 4”

Beginning of the 70s they dropped the 10’ version.

Around 1972 they made only 4.5’ and 5.5” bowls.

HOWEVER - all above info is totally useless unless you have a fairly well trained "eye". You need to be able to recognise the Whitefriars colours. Many other makers have greens and blues and ambers, which although could seem similar are not the same. Whitefriars colours in the main were fairly consistent and easily recognisable once you have trained your eye. Another thing is to get used to the "bubble" formation. Again, Whitefriars bubbles are easily spotted once you are used to them. And finally, the polished pontil mark is not specific to Whitefriars - other makers sometimes also finished off their items with this too.

Maybe not easy, there sounds like there is a lot of skill in recognising some of these but definitely helpful. Especially for a lowly newbie collector like myself! I must have initiated myself now though because my husband said last night "Do you have to buy more glass? And anyway where is it all going to go?!"

I believe a particular quirk of the bubble ashtrays is that if it's wfs, you can hook your finger under the rim a little bit, there's a ridge.Not worth much (~ £8) they're still nice enough to have in use. I've got two of them.

Logged

Cheers, Sue (M)

"In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of."-- Confucius

I would think that the majority of the controlled bubble bowls I run into were made by Whitefriars, as Emmi said they were made for a long time and in large quantities, there should be lots of them about. I reckon most of the rest that I see are from Murano.

The Whitefriars bowls are well made, tactile and usually have a nice heavy heft.

... or from Germany, or from France, or from Holland, or from Belgium, or from Sweden, or from Argentina, or from the USA, or from Portugal or from Japan - meanwhile, chances of finding any WFs outside the UK are pretty slim.